With the 4th of July just a few days away, crowds of people will be firing up grills or heading out to campsites. Because of all the rain Long and Liberty counties have seen this year, many revelers aren't concerned about igniting brush fires.

Liberty County Sheriff deputies, Hinesville Police officers, members of the Multi Agency Crack Enforcement Drug Task Force, Liberty EMS and local fire departments gathered Wednesday morning to mourn the loss of John "Jay" Smiley. Smiley died unexpectedly Friday. He was a deputy for the LCSO.

It took eight years but the Midway Volunteer Fire Department finally drove a new service truck into the station last Friday. Mayor Don Emmons said the truck was possible because of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.